The bill extends the National Estuary Program for an additional five years, specifically including Mississippi Sound. It prohibits using funds allocated for FY 2025 for the program's implementation, and for FY 2026 unless there is an $850,000 increase from FY 2024. The changes strive to enhance the conservation and management of estuarine systems, emphasizing the importance of the Mississippi Sound in the program.
Enhancing Science, Treatment, and Upkeep of America’s Resilient and Important Estuarine Systems Act or the ESTUARIES Act
This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 grants provided under the National Estuary Program to protect and restore estuaries of national significance. Estuaries are coastal waterbodies where freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with the ocean’s saltwater. Under the existing program, the Environmental Protection Agency provides grants for (1) developing and implementing comprehensive conservation and management plans for estuaries of national significance, and (2) addressing issues that threaten the ecological and economic well-being of such estuaries. The existing program provides grants to states, regional water pollution control agencies and entities, state coastal zone management agencies, interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals.
